Prehistoric mini-ape discovered in Germany the smallest to ever live
Also: Buronius manfredschmidi—A new small hominid from the early late Miocene of Hammerschmiede (Bavaria, Germany) (PLOS ONE)
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Source: BBC Discover Wildlife
Prehistoric mini-ape discovered in Germany the smallest to ever live
The tiny new species of great ape unearthed at a fossil site in Bavaria may have weighed just 10kg, say scientists
By Daniel Graham
Published: June 7, 2024 at 1:00 pm
The bonobo is the world’s smallest living great ape. Now scientists in Germany think they may have discovered the smallest great ape to ever live.
The remains of the new ape species, which were dug up at Hammerschmiede clay pit in Bavaria, include the partial remnants of two teeth and one patella.
The follow-up study, led by German palaeontologist Madelaine Böhme and published in the journal [o]PLOS ONE, suggests that the size and shape of these remains are distinct from all other apes, including Danuvius guggenmosi, a larger extinct species of great ape that lived in the same area 11.6 million years ago.
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Read more: https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/buronius-manfredschmidi-smallest-ape
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Source: PLOS ONE
Buronius manfredschmidi—A new small hominid from the early late Miocene of Hammerschmiede (Bavaria, Germany)
M. Böhme ,D. R. Begun ,A. C. Holmes,T. Lechner,G. Ferreira
Published: June 7, 2024
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0301002
Abstract
The known diversity of European middle and late Miocene hominids has increased significantly during the last decades. Most of these great apes were frugivores in the broadest sense, ranging from soft fruit frugivores most like chimpanzees to hard/tough object feeders like orangutans, varying in size from larger than siamangs (over 17 kg) to larger than most chimpanzees (~60–70 kg). In contrast to the frequent sympatry of hominoids in the early-to-middle Miocene of Africa, in no European Miocene locality more than one hominid taxon has been identified. Here we describe the first case of hominid sympatry in Europe from the 11.62 Ma old Hammerschmiede HAM 5 level, best known from its excellent record of Danuvius guggenmosi. The new fossils are consistent in size with larger pliopithecoids but differ morphologically from any pliopithecoid and from Danuvius. They are also distinguished from early and middle Miocene apes, share affinities with late Miocene apes, and represent a small hitherto unknown late Miocene ape Buronius manfredschmidi. With an estimated body mass of about 10 kg it represents the smallest known hominid taxon. The relative enamel thickness of Buronius is thin and contrasts with Danuvius, whose enamel is twice as thick. The differences between Buronius and Danuvius in tooth and patellar morphology, enamel thickness and body mass are indicative of differing adaptations in each, permitting resource partitioning, in which Buronius was a more folivorous climber.
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0301002